Locomotive-pedestal.



No. 809,744. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906.

F. H. RAMSDELL. LOCOMOTIVE PEDESTAL.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7,1905.

BTSSHEET 1.

3 half mrwaz PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906.

F; H. RAMSDELL.

LOCOMOTIVE PEDESTAL.

AYPLIGATION FILED 001*. 1.1905.

2 SHBBTSSHEET 2.

UNITE STATES PATENT @EETCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed October 7, 1905. Serial No. 281,747.

To all 111710121, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK H. RAMS- DELL, a citizen of the United States, residing in IVaterville, in the county of Kennebec and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locomotive- Pedestals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to the adj ustment of the driving-boxes in the pedestals of locomotives.

Heretofore the wear occasioned by the vertical movement of the driving-boxes in pedestals has been compensated for by means of a wedge member inserted between the side of the vertically-movable bearing-box and the side of the pedestal, the side usually being in clined. With such construction the friction of the sliding box acts directly on the face of the wedge and results in its rapid abrasion. As soon as a small amount of play is permitted by reason of this wear a very damaging effect is produced on the rods and other portions of the locomotive mechanism, and this action becomes quite violent at high speeds from the results of the hammer-like blows given to the wedge at each stroke of the piston.

To overcome these objectionable features is one object of the present invention, which is accomplished by the insertion of a member stationary relatively to the pedestal and located between the wedge and the engaging face of the drivingbox having the vertical movement. In order to adjust such wedge, it is customary to tap a bolt through the bottom member or brace of the pedestal, such bolt engaging the lower end or end portion of the wedge and moving it upward to compensate for this wear by proper adjustment of the bolt. lVith such construction when the threaded aperture becomes worn it is necessary to replace the brace of the pedestal, entailing a considerable expense and trouble.

To avoid these objectionable features, the present invention provides a separate member or block containing a threaded aperture to engage an adjusting-bolt, which block is located on top of the brace or bottom mem ber, and the latter is provided with a bore registering with the threaded aperture in the block, through which the adjusting-bolt is passed and screwed through the block to engage the end of the wedge.

In the accompanying drawings, representing one embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 shows in side elevation a pedestal with my invention applied thereto. Fig.2 is a similar View, certain parts being shown in vertical section. Fig. 3 is a transverse view on the line 3 3 indicated in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 shows separately a channel-shaped shoe. Fig. 6 shows the adjusting-wedge. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the bottom member or brace of the pedestal and also shows one of of the adjusting-bolts, and Fig. 8 shows the threaded block.

The portion of the pedestal shown comprises a top member 12, having two depending side members 13 and 14. The inner wall of member 13 is substantially vertical or at right angles with the lower wall of the top member, while the inner wall of the member 14 is slightly inclined, this being the construction followed in general. Between these two members the bearing box (indicated in broken lines and denoted generally by 15) has a vertical movement in the usual manner.

At the lower portion of the pedestal is a bottom member or brace, one form of which is shown in Fig. 7, comprising, essentially, a bar 16, that is secured between extending portions 17 and 18 of the side members by means of a bolt 19, passing through apertures in such extensions and through the bore 20 of the bar 16; but the member 16 forms no part of the present invention and other forms of brace may be used. At one side of the in closed space or pedestal containing the j ournal bearing-boxthat adjacent the side member 13, which is usually the front-is arranged a stationary shoe 21, that may be retained in position by a bolt 22, the shoe engaging the top of the pedestal and the brace by its end portions, respectively, thus prevented from endwise movement. On the opposite side of the edestal where it engages the journal bear: ingox, which is the rearward side, is arranged an adjusting member, in the present instance embodied in a wedge 23. (Shown separately in Fig. 6.) The length of the wedge is less than the. distance between the brace and the top portion 12 of the pedestal to permit of its necessary adjustment. Between the wedge 23 and the bearing-box is arranged a friction member or shoe 24, whose sides engaging this brace are preferably parallel and whose length is such that its ends engage the brace and top part 12, respectively, thereby preventing endwise move ment, The face of the side member 14 of the j the wedge being on an mcline and coming in contact with the inclined side of member 14 of pedestal, these angles affecting the horizontal adjustment by means of the wedgebolt. This form of wedge construction which is in general use is very expensive to maintain, and as the wedge is directly in contact with the journal bearing-box it is practically impossible to retain it in adjustment, owing to the direct contact with box and the violent vertical movement of the box, as well as the hammer-blows given to the wedge from each stroke of the piston of the engine.

The object, therefore, of my improvement is to protect the wedge from this disturbing and damaging action, and I am thus enabled to retain it indefinitely in proper adjustment to the complete protection of the rods of the locomotive and all other portions of the ma chinery affected by improper wedge adjustment. This is accomplished by interposing a shoe between journal-box and wedge to prevent the vertical action entirely on the wedge and also to neutralize the hammerblows, which in my improvement come directly upon the shoe, as shown and described, and not upon the wedge, the latter being the universal custom. In this invention the wedge member 23 is not provided with these side flanges, but made substantially rectangular in section, as shown; but the channelshaped form is given to the shoe 24, it being provided with'side portions 25 and 26, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. It will be observed from Fig. 3 that these side members 25 and 26 inclose the wedge member and engage the opposite sides of the side member 14 of the pedestal.

To prevent the shoe 24 from falling forward into the inclosed space upon removal of the bearing-box, a bolt 27 passes through an aperture in the side member 14, thence through a vertical slot 28 in the wedge, and is tapped into a threaded aperture 29 in the shoe member 24. This bolt may further serve the purpose of clamping the shoe and wedge in adjusted positions of the latter.

Any desired form of means may be employed for the vertical adjustment of the wedge 23. In the present invention a suitable block is located on top of the brace 16 and provided with a threaded aperture registering with the usual aperture in the brace.

vided with a transverse channel 30, arranged below the end of the wedge, into which channel fits a block 3 1 provided with threaded apertures 32 and 33 adjacent its end portions. The brace 16 is provided with apertures 34 and 35, registering, respectively, with the apertures 32 and 33 in the block, the apertures in the brace being located on each side of the bore 20 of the brace. Suitable bolts 36 are passed through the apertures 34 and 35 and screwed through the apertures 32 and 33 in the block 31 until their extremities engage the lower end of the wedge member 23. By advancing these bolts the proper adjustment of the wedge 23 is efiected. Ajam-nut 37 is used on each bolt for locking them upon adjustment of the wedge. When either or both of the threaded apertures in the block become unduly worn, it is only necessary to withdraw the bolts and replace the block with a new one. This is obviously much simpler and more economical than to replace the entire pedestal member to insure the proper adjustment for the wedge.

What I claim is- 1. In a pedestal, the combination with the side member and a bearing-box, of a shoe arranged to engage the side of the bearing-box, and a wedge member arranged between the shoe and the side member.

2. In a pedestal, the combination with the side member and the bearing-box, of a shoe arranged to engage the side of the bearingbox, a Wedge member arranged between the shoe and the side member, and means for adjusting the wedge member.

3. In a pedestal, the combination with the side member and a bearing-box, of a shoe arranged to engage the side ofthe bearingbox, a wedge member arranged between the shoe and the side member, means for adjusting the wedge member, and means for preventing vertical movement of the shoe.

4. In a pedestal, the combination with the bearing-box, of a shoe arranged to engage the side of the bearing-box, and a wedge member arranged between the shoe and the side of the pedestal, such side of the pedestal being inclined.

5. In a pedestal, the combination with the side member and a bearing-box, of a substantially channel-shaped shoe arranged to engage the side of the bearing-block, and a wedge inserted between the shoe and the pedesta 6. In a pedestal, the combination with the side member and a bearing-box of a substantially channel-shaped shoe arranged to en side portions embracing the side member,

and a wedge member inserted in the channeled portion of the shoe and engaging the shoe and side member with its opposite converging sides, the wedge being substantially rectangular in section.

7. In a pedestal, the combination of a side member having an inclined face, a bearing boX, a substantially channel-shaped shoe ar ranged to engage the bearing-box by its fiat side with the channeled portions embracing the side of the bearing-box, and a wedge member inserted in the channeled portion of the shoe and engaging the shoe and said side member with its opposite converging sides, the wedge being substantially rectangular in section.

8. In a pedestal, the combination with the side member and a bearing-box, of a shoe arranged to engage the side of the bearing-box, a wedge member arranged between the shoe and the side member, means for adjusting the wedge member, the side of the pedestal having a transverse aperture, the shoe having a threaded aperture registering with said aperture in the side member, the wedge having a vertically-extending slot registering with said apertures, and a bolt passing through the side member and wedge and tapped into the shoe.

9. In a pedestal, the combination with a bearing-box and a wedge located between the side of the box and the side member, of a pedestal, the bottom portion of the pedestal having a bore therein registering with the lower end of the wedge, a plate located on top of the lower member and having a threaded aperture registering with said aperture in the latter member, and an adjusting-bolt passing through said registering apertures and engaging the wedge.

10. In a pedestal, the combination with a bearing-box, a wedge located between the bearing-box and the side member of the pedestal, of a transverse brace at the bottom of the pedestal having a vertical aperture in alinement with the end of the wedge, the brace having a slotted portion around said aperture in its upper face, a plate having a threaded aperture and fitted into said slot with the aperture registering with said aperture in the brace, and a bolt passing through said registering apertures and engaging the wedge.

11. In a pedestal, the combination with a bearingbox, and a wedge located between the bearing-box and the side member of the pedestal, of a transverse brace at the bottom of the pedestal provided with vertical apertures disposed in alinement with the bottom of the wedge, the brace having a transverse slotted portion in its top including said apertures, a plate located in the slotted portion of the brace and provided with threaded apertures registering with said apertures, and bolts located in said registering apertures and engaging the wedge.

12. In a pedestal, the combination with the side member and a bearing-box, of a shoe arranged to engage the side of the bearingbox, a wedge located between the shoe and the side member of the pedestal, the bottom portion of the pedestal having a bore therein registering with the lower extremity of the wedge, and a plate having a threaded aperture and located on top of the lower member and registering with said aperture in the latter member, and an adjusting-bolt passing through the aperture in the lower member, and threaded through the aperture in said plate engaging the said wedge.

13. In a pedestal, the combination of a side member having an inclined face, a bearing-boX, a substantially channel-shaped shoe arranged to engage the bearing-box by its fiat side with the channeled portions embracing the side of the bearing-box, a wedge member inserted in the channeled portion of the shoe and engaging the shoe and said side member with its opposite tapering sides, the wedge being substantially rectangular in section, the bottom member of the pedestal having a bore therein registering with the lower eX- tremity of the wedge, a plate located on the bottom member and having a threaded aperture registering with said aperture in the latter member, and an adj usting-bolt passing through said registering apertures.

14. In a pedestal, the combination with the side member and a bearing-box, of a shoe arranged to engage the side of the box, a

wedge located between the bearing-box and the shoe, a transverse brace at the bottom of the pedestal provided with vertical apertures disposed in alinement with the bottom of the wedge, the brace having a transverse slotted portion in its top including said apertures, a plate located in the slotted portion of the brace and provided with threaded apertures registering with said apertures, and bolts located in said registering apertures and engaging the wedge.

FREDERICK H. RAMSDELL.

Witnesses:

L. J. LA BONTEE, JOHN SrooKs. 

